End Of The Line For Exeter Falcons...

[a4poster]

This item has been taken from the This is Exeter website (3/1/13):

 

MONEY which was left to build a new speedway track for Exeter Falcons is to be used to boost one-time bitter rivals Plymouth Devils.

ManorDelta Ltd, the company which owned Exeter Speedway, has purchased a 25 per cent share in the Plymouth Devils to keep the sport alive in Devon.

 

But it has acknowledged for the first time that speedway will never again be staged in Exeter.

The Plymouth team, which was revived six years ago by Mike Bowden, has been taken over by former Falcons' skipper Seemond Stephens.

The deal was in danger of collapsing until the ManorDelta directors stepped in to ensure that speedway racing would continue in Devon.

 

David Short, a director of Manor Delta and former co-promoter at both Exeter and Plymouth, said: "When the late Colin Hill, who ran Exeter Speedway for 20 years, died in 2004 he bequeathed funds to build a new stadium for the Falcons as the County Ground was about to be demolished. Colin died expecting that stadium to be at Westpoint showground, but those hopes were cruelly dashed. Since then the ManorDelta shareholders have worked hard to find a new venue.

 

"We now have to accept that speedway will never again be staged within the city of Exeter.

 

"Finding a suitable site outside the city boundaries which meets planning, environmental and highways criteria has been incredibly difficult.

 

"Exeter is not alone as several other defunct tracks around the country are facing the same difficulties.

 

"Therefore the invitation from Seemond Stephens to join him at Plymouth, seems a good solution. Seemond held Colin Hill in high esteem and intends to run Plymouth on similar lines to Colin's management style at the County Ground."

 

There are already plenty of Exeter connections at the St Boniface Arena where the Devils race.

 

The Devils have just signed former Falcons' No.1 Mark Lemon for 2013, Lee Trigger, the Plymouth team manager was a familiar face in the County Ground pits 'spannering' for long time skipper Mark Simmonds.

 

Mr Short said: "Mark has been appointed to the role of Devils' training officer. We are also hoping to stage regular junior racing at Plymouth under the Exeter Falcons banner. It's an easy drive now from Exeter to Plymouth but in these difficult financial times we are looking at the possibility on laying on a coach at very reasonable cost."

Some may find it bizarre to see Exeter and Plymouth working together in a sports project given the traditional rivalry between the two cities, but Mr Short is convinced that speedway wise it can work.

 

"Yes, there was great rivalry between the Devils and Falcons in the past, but the two sides haven't met in league action since 1962. By working together we have already saved speedway from being lost in Devon, and the potential is there to build a hugely successful partnership."

 

"When the new season gets underway in March supporters can expect to find the kind of facilities in which to enjoy a great speedway night out."

 

Around 300 of fans crammed into a meeting held in Eggbuckland to hear about team-building progress and future plans for the Devils.

Edited January 3, 2013 by a4poster

[packerman]

I hope that Exeter do return to the track 1 day. I have many fond memories of the County ground and being very fortunate to be one of the several thousands to attend the final meeting. At least speedway is being kept alive with Plymouth & I hope it stays that way for many a year to come.

[Bryn]

I too fervently hope that speedway does return to Exeter one day. I have many happy memories of trips west to the County Ground from here in Kent (it's a long way there and back in a day!) including the warm welcome we always received from all there including Colin (Hill) and Tony (Lethbridge) which atoned for the fact that the visiting team(s) I was with never seemed to fare too well on track! And I will NEVER forget Mark Simmons sailing over the first bend fence landing in a back garden (thankfully escaping really serious injury) and Tony Lethbridge racing back towards the pits where we were all standing aghast and fearing the worst, loudly yelling, "We need a ladder! Quick! We need a ladder!

[Tsunami]

Great to hear but it does end the chances of Speedway ever coming back to Exeter IMO. Unfortunately the amount left to invest in Plymouth is only a small percentage of the original funds.

I heard it was a possibility a couple of years ago that Exeter might buy out Bowen but now we have the best scenario with Exeter and Plymouth combining to keep speedway in the West Country. Pity that Godfrey cant be part of it apparently because of a comment on land values that upset the school governors. Surely it is possible for Godfrey, with his contacts and experience, to work within the organisation for the consortium on say the promotions admin and BSPA official contact. I am aware that Mr Short is also experience with his time at Exeter but it would be a shame if the leasees can dictate the members of the new promotion.

Good luck to the new promotion and I will be down to see the changes.

[25yearfan]

Why is this the end of the line for Exeter speedway?

 

While the fund set up by the late Colin Hill was intended to help with the resurection of the club, the money being put into Plymouth speedway will only probably be a % of the funds, not a huge amount given its only a part share of Plymouth speedway and if Plymouth is run properly then its proven to be a place which can attract big profitable crowds which would mean the trust fund would benefit.

 

Plymouth speedway have only got a 2 year lease on the site and the owners want to sell the land of for development, so Plymouths long term future is certainly up in the air, let alone a currently defunct club!

 

Whats to say in two years time Plymouth gets turfed out of their current home, then cannot find another location in Plymouth yet manage to find a site in Exeter?

Then Plymouth Devils speedway would reform (Doctor Who changing into a new actor style) into Exeter Falcons speedway!

Plymouths loss would be Exeters gain but speedway in the area would still retain a track!

 

Saying that this is the end of the line for Exeter speedway is like saying that this is the end of the hopes to reopen speedway in Cornwall cause one the of the prospective Cornwall promotors (the guy Taylor I believe his name is) is involved with the new Plymouth promotion. For the record this Mr Taylor guy has already said that his involvement at Plymouth speedway won't have any detrimental effect on the Cornish plans which by all accounts are well advanced!

 

While the trust fund set up by Exeter legend Colin Hill is obviously the main player in the (I hope) ongoing efforts to find a new site a for a speedway track in the Exeter area for the Falcons to fly again in the eyes of the BSPA, whats stopping someone/ others doing a Mike Bowden and finding a site for speedway in Exeter on their own?

I'm sure the fund trustee holders would gladly forgoe any BSPA rights agreement they have if a site is found by others. Indeed if the potential parties had any sense then they would work together to make it happen?

 

If a new site for speedway is found in Exeter then I'm sure they'd be someone (probably more than one person) prepared to bankroll the costs of building the facility, be it the the trust fund or not!

 

Having been to speedway at Plymouth, Exeter and St Austell over the years, I know what a speedway hotbed the area is and I think the area could sustain all 3 teams running at the same time if they were run properly!

Edited January 6, 2013 by 25yearfan